A new name for what was previously known as Vignes de Thulon, Jean-Marc felt he wanted to speak more about the excellent village of Lantignié, which is being touted as the 11th Cru of Beaujolais. As ever, this is made in the traditional Beaujolais fashion, with whole bunches macerated for a week in open concrete tanks to preserve the purity of fruit. The nose is gorgeously perfumed, with a heady mix of floral and red berry notes, while the palate explodes with crunchy cherry fruit and ends on a satisfying, mouth-watering finish.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

From the parcel’s oldest vines, this is invariably more concentrated than the standard (non-Vieilles Vignes) Roilette. There’s an attractive savoury note to the nose, as well as the ethereal aromas of flowers and violets synonymous with the best wines of Fleurie. On the palate, expect fresh acidity and fine, chalky tannins. The 2017 is all the more impressive in light of the hail and drought that made for such a challenging vintage.
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant

Jean-Marc’s vines at the top of the Côte du Py suffered from hail on May 19th, so his mid-slope south-facing vines – which, he says, are most expressive of the slope’s famous blue granite – had more of a say than usual in the final blend. While this has a hugely attractive bouquet of berry fruit and flowers, it’s the intense mineral character of the palate that makes a real impression. Expect mouth-watering acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins that soften with time in the glass or decanter. There’s plenty of ripe fruit too, courtesy of a relatively warm growing season. A brilliant wine from one of the finest terroirs in Beaujolais, not to mention one of the finest winemakers.
Will Heslop – Burgundy Buying Assistant

Wild Soul is Julien’s “project”, a wine made from grapes bought from trusted vignerons who have well-sited vines at high altitude on rocky, granite soils. Made in the same manner as his other wines, with no sulphur during the vinification or élevage and no fining or filtration, this is raised in a concrete egg and neutral tank, in order to preserve purity of fruit. The result is a pure, refreshing expression of Gamay which lends itself to every occasion. 

Régnié is situated next to its better-known cousin, Morgon, and this wine displays a little of its neighbour’s structure. It is a blend of parcels; one on sandy granite soils giving mid-palate richness, the other stony gravel which adds spice and structure. This is a fruity and gentle wine to be enjoyed on its own or with simple dishes. 

Javernières hails from the eponymous lieu-dit, at the foot of the Côte du Py in Morgon. Here, schist gives way to soils of deep clay, resulting in rich, concentrated wines, which pinote (become Pinot-like) as they age. Eighth-generation vigneron Louis-Benoît Desvignes attributes this cuvée’s depth of colour to its long, slow vinification – with no punching down, but a grill to keep the macerating fruit submerged – in open concrete vats. The 2017 is a showstopper, with heady aromas of flowers and savoury spice, and exceptional density on the palate. Only after another year or two, as its massive tannins begin to loosen up, will it reveal the extent of its complexity – fortunately, for the time being, we have a case or two of the ’14 remaining.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2018)

Julien’s Fleurie is, in our minds, his finest wine. Raised in old oak barrels from a very famous address in Chambolle-Musigny, this is a classic Fleurie; seductive, perfumed and ethereal. Julien’s winemaking style – using minimal sulphur and intervening as little as possible – ensures that this is a wine which constantly evolves in the glass, morphing from red fruit to black, from brambles to irises and rose petals. A truly complex wine which is rich yet refreshing.